Daily Archives: January 23, 2013

Susie Mae West, 85, of Glen St. Mary died on Monday, January 21, 2013 at Frank Wells Nursing Home in Macclenny. She was born in Bethlehem, Florida in 1927 and was the last living child of the late William Angus and Margaret Lou Nita Dees Lee. Mrs. West was raised in West Florida and lived in Baker County since 1964. She was a member of the First Assembly of God Church in Macclenny and enjoyed cooking and spending time with her family. She was preceded in death by her first husband and father of her children, Wilson Bowlin, her second husband Grady West and son Dwayne Bowlin.

The funeral service will be conducted on Wednesday, January 23 at 2 pm in the chapel of Guerry Funeral Home in Macclenny with Rev. Josh Potts, pastor of the First Assembly of God in Macclenny, officiating. Interment will follow at Oak Grove Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be one hour prior to the service.

Frankie Mae Cruce Pipkins, 62, of Glen St. Mary died on Thursday, January 17, 2013 after a lengthy illness. A longtime Baker County resident, Ms. Pipkins retired from Northeast Florida State Hospital, where she was a supervisor for over twenty years. She was an active member of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Macclenny and enjoyed spending time with her family and friends.

Infant Jaxson Ray Luffman of Macclenny died on Friday, January 11, 2013. He will be forever loved and missed by his family.

He is survived by parents Austin and Jiselle Luffman; sisters Savannah and Raeleigh Luffman; grandparents Randy and Dawn Luffman, all of Macclenny; Chad and Jeanna Field and John and Jean Oman of Jacksonville; great-grandmothers Elaine Griffis of Macclenny and Betty Lou Luffman of North Carolina; great-grandfather Daniel Field of Jacksonville; great-great-grandmothers Martha Griffis of Baldwin and Jennie Oman of California; numerous aunts, uncles and other family members.

The funeral service was held at 11 am on Tuesday, January 15 at Raiford Road Church in Macclenny with Pastor Eddie Griffis officiating. Interment followed at Woodlawn Cemetery in Macclenny. Forbes Funeral Home in Macclenny was in charge of arrangements.

Linda Jo Fields Burks, 60, of Macclenny died on January 11, 2013. She was born in Fort Jackson, South Carolina on October 23, 1952 to the late Lt. Col. Joseph A. Fields and Katherine Marie Whitaker Fields. She grew up mostly in Green Cove Springs, where she graduated from Clay High School in 1971. She received an associate of arts degree from Florida Junior College of Jacksonville in 1978, married Charles Landis Burks in 1973 and moved to Macclenny in 1981. Mrs. Burks was employed by the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services as a welfare worker for 11 years before retiring in 1993 for health reasons. She was preceded in death by her brother Barry Lynn Fields and foster brother Jack Wayne Draisey.

Other than her loving husband of 39½ years, she is survived by daughters, Amy Burks (Daniel Bell) of Macclenny and Holly (William) Dillard of Glen St. Mary; brother, James Wesley (June) Fields of Mesa, AZ; grandchildren Hunter Retcho, Alex Burks and Chloe Burks of Macclenny, and Elizabeth and Samantha Dillard of Glen St. Mary; many others who called her Mom.